Lack of rain tough on area golf courses

By Chad Courrier
Free Press Staff Writer

MANKATO July 25, 2007 01:40 am

— When Fred Taylor got out of bed Monday, he was greeted by a sight better than a stack of pancakes or tall glass of juice.
It was raining, and the grounds superintendent at the Mankato Golf Club finally had reason to smile.
“That was pretty nice,” Taylor said. “It came down kind of fast, but it was welcome, that’s for sure.”
July is normally a dry month, but rain has been more rare this summer. At Mankato Golf Club, Taylor said that there’s only been two significant rains in the last three weeks, totaling less than an inch.
“You figure you’re going to get about four inches of rain in a month,” Taylor said. “We’re pumping a lot more water. It takes time, we’re doing a lot more hand-watering. You can really see the deficiencies in the irrigation systems when it’s dry.”
Taylor said that in July of 2006, the course pumped more than 8.2 million gallons of water onto thirsty grass, and this month, that amount is already more than 8.5 million.
Terrace View Golf Course was the rain winner Monday, receiving about 11⁄2 inches from the quick storm, but July’s total was still under 2 inches. Grounds superintendent Tom Meier said that Le Sueur Country Club has received about 1.3 inches of rain in July, about half the normal total.
“Until (Monday), it had been a struggle,” Terrace View grounds superintendent Andy Prange said. “We watered 17 consecutive days in July, and that’s put quite a stress on the course.”
Meier said the Le Sueur course is holding up well.
“The only damage is where the carts drive across the dry grass,” he said.
At Shoreland Country Club near St. Peter, grounds superintendent Chris Fossen said that his course has gotten less than a half-inch of rain this month, and he’s watering almost every day. Fossen has grown weary of watching potential showers form in the area, then break up before they reach Shoreland.
“We’re getting hosed here,” he said. “Not literally.”
The benefit from the lack of rain is that if you make a tee time at an area golf course, it’s almost certain that you’re going to get to play.
“We haven’t had any rainouts,” Prange said. “Business has been good.”

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